Car axle lubricator plate



Nov. 1, 1938. H. H. GRECE CAR AXLE LUBRICATOR PLATE 2 Sheds-Sheet 1 Filed April 17, 1936 ZiI E NTOR. I

BY {9C6 Patented Nov. 1, 1938 PATENT OFFICE CAR. AXLE LUBRICATOR: i PLATE Harry H...Grece, Detroit,-.Mich.

Application April 17, 1936, Serial N0. 74,861

6 Claims.

This invention relates to railroad'car axle lubricating means and in particular to plate type oiling'means adapted to be inserted into'the journal 'boxesof railroad cars for assuring constant lubrication of the car'axles at all times.

It has been customary to pack and wedge oil or other lubricant saturated waste in the bottom of journal boxes and around the lower portion of railroad car axles to lubricate the saidaxles. When railroad cars so lubricatedare in service the waste packed around the car axles settles due to the repeated impact and jarring caused when the cars pass over rail joints and the like. The

packing and settling of the waste becomesmoreacute'when a car wheel developseven the slightest flatspot. When the waste packs and settles away from the car axles, the axle ceases "to obtain suflicient lubricant which causes overheated bearings, hot boxes, expensive repairs and replacements, and undesirable delays in railroad To avoid expensive repairs to rolling service. stock and delays in railroad service, the journal box packing is preferably stirred and the waste and lubricant replenished at frequent intervals along the route of the railroad ata greatex pense to the railroad companies;

However, the stirring of thejournal box packing is often improperlydone and the waste and lubricant are not replenished as required because of carelessness of railroad employees. Als'o, pockets form in the waste due to repeated impact and jarring of the journal box which are impos-- sible to detect from inspection. Whenpockets formin the waste, the car axle obtains but a' fraction of the lubricant required with the result that the bearing and axle become overheated which in turn rapidly dissipates. whatlubricant the axle was getting, and a hot .box with its attendant expense andldelayfloccurs.

In the prior art many. devices have .beenused to hold thewaste-against the canaxle whichdonot eliminate or alleviate-the forming of pockets in the waste and which cannot be readily adapted to the various sizes and shapesof journal boxes.

Some attempts to hold the Waste against the axle have beenvsuch as materially reduce the volume of lubricant andwaste carried in the jour;

nal box which necessitates more frequent inspections and replenishing of lubricant, both of which are costly to the railroad companies especiallyin increased payrolls;

axles within the journal box enclosing the car axle.

Another object of this invention is to provide railroad car axlelubricating means adapted to be flexed intojournal boxes enclosing car axles eithenduring the'construction of the car or later after the car has been in service.

Another object of this invention is to provide a"- resilient railroadcar axle lubricating plate adapted to urge lubricant saturated Waste against thecar axle.

Anotherobject of this invention is to provide a' resilientrailroad car axle lubricating means adapted to accommodate itself to various configurations when urging lubricant saturated waste against the car-axleto compensate for uneven packing and settlement of thesaid lubricant saturated wastein' the journal box enclosing the caraxle.

Anotherobject of 'thisinvention is to provide a resilient railroad car axle lubricating plate adapted to urge lubricant saturated waste against the car axle and-at the same time form a reservoir for lub'ricantin the bottom of the journal box enclosing the car axle and'the lubricating plate;

Another objectof this invention is to provide a spring action resilient car axle lubricating plate having lubricant conveying means therethrough which does not interfere with the spring action or resiliency of the said plate.

Another'object of this invention is to provide a railroad car axle lubricating plate adapted to accommodate itself to various configurations when urging lubricant'saturated Waste against thecar axle to compensate for uneven packingfand settlement of th'e said lubricant saturated Waste in the journal box enclosing the car axle, the said lubricating plate forming a reservoir for lubricant at the bottom of the said journal box, and the said plate having means therethrough-ior 'conveying lubricant from the reservoir so formed to the waste above the said lubricating plate;

Other objects of this invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings; in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a resilientcaraxle lubricating plate embodying the inventioninserted.inia journal box prior to packingflwaste. or 'otherxjournal packing therein.

Fig; 2 is'avcross' sectional view taken on the line-2+4 '01. F1231;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a'resilient car axle lubricating plate embodying the invention inserted in a journal box and compressed to a typical configuration by the packing of waste or other journal packing between the car axle and the said lubricating plate.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a car axle lubricating plate embodying the invention.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of another embodiment of a car axle lubricating plate contemplated by the invention.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 88 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view of a preferred wicking means for conveying lubricant through the embodiment of the car axle lubricating plate disclosed in Figs. 4 and 5.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view of a preferred wicking means for conveying lubricant through the embodiment of the car axle lubricating plate disclosed in Figs. '7 and 8.

Referring particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, the embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figs. 5 and 6 is shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive as applied to a car axle l5 which may have a car or the like journaled thereon by means of a bearing l6 suitably secured in the top of the usual journal box I1 by a suitable wedge IS. The journal box I! is provided with a spring closed hinged lid l9 which covers its front opening. A dust guard 20 around the hub seat 2| of the axle l5 seals the rear opening of the journal box H. The end of the axle I5 is provided with a collar 22. A jack plate 23 is provided on the bottom of the journal box H for convenience when jacking up the car and changing its bearings.

The embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figs. 5 and 6 comprises a resilient plate 24 of spring steel or other suitable material having a plurality of substantially uniformly spaced preferably involute springs 25 secured to the bottom thereof by such means as resistance welding, riveting or the like. The said resilient plate 24 is preferably provided with a plurality of apertures 26 therethrough interspersed between the said springs 25.

Oil or other lubricant saturated waste 21 may depend through the apertures 26 provided in the resilient plate 24, see Fig. 3, or, a wicking bat 28 may depend through the apertures 26 in the resilient plate 24 as best shown in Fig. 9. The wicking bat 28 is preferably frictionally retained in the desired relationship to the resilient plate 24 by virtue of its size in respect to the diameter of the said apertures 26.

The wicking bat 28 is preferably constructed with alternate long and short pieces of wicking 29 and 33 respectively which permits the lower end of the said bat 28 to flex readily and thereby cause little if any interference with the deflection of the resilient plate 24 when pressure is applied thereon.

In Figs. 1 and 2 a resilient car axle lubricating plate assembly is shown inserted in the bottom of a journal box 11 prior to packing the axle I5 with oil or other lubricant saturated waste. The lubricating plate assembly is best inserted into the said journal box H by flexing the plate 24 through the front opening of the said journal box I! and below the collar 22 of the car axle I5.

After inserting the car axle lubricating plate assembly into the journal box I1, oil or other lubricant saturated waste 21 or the like may be packed in the journal box I! above the resilient plate 24 around and against the lower portion of the car axle l5 substantially as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. When packing the axle, the springs 25 on the bottom of the resilient plate 24 compress and the plate 24 flexes in accordance with the uniformity of the pressure exerted on the said flexible plate 24 by the packed waste 21. Any uneven packing or uneven settlement of the waste 21 will cause the resilient plate 24 to accommodate itself to various configurations as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4 and thereby automatically compensate for pockets which may form in the waste 21 due to the said uneven packing and/or settlement of the said waste 21'. The springs 25 on the bottom of the said resilient plate 24 constantly urge the oil or other lubricant saturated waste 2.6 upward against the axle I5 thereby lubricating the same.

Free oil or other suitable liquid lubricant 3| may be added to the journal box preferably up to a level as indicated by the dot and dash lines 32 in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. The space between the resilient plate 24 and the bottom of the journal box I! serves as a reservoir for free lubricant 3! which is fed up to the waste 21 by the capillary attraction of waste which may Q depend into the said reservoir through apertures 26 in the said resilient plate 24. It is preferable, however. to feed free lubricant to the waste 21 from the reservoir below the resilient plate 24 by the use of such particularly suitable means as the wicking bats 28 depending through the said resilient plate 24, see Fig. 9. Wicking bats 28 constructed as hereinbefore described offer substantially no resistance to the flexing or depressing of the resilient plate 24 and provide positive means for conveying lubricant from the reservoir in the journal box I! below the resilient plate 24 to the waste 21 when the lubricant in the waste 21 is expanded therefrom by lubricating the axle [5 or by drainage into the reservoir formed below the said flexible plate 24.

Figs. 7 and 8 disclose another embodiment of the invention comprising a resilient plate 33 of spring steel or other suitable material hav ing a plurality of leaf type springs 34 secured to the bottom thereof by such suitable means as the rivets 35. The said resilient plate 33 is preferably provided with a plurality of slotted apertures 36 therethrough interspersed between the said leaf springs 34.

Oil or other lubricant saturated waste 21 may depend through the apertures 36 provided in the resilient plate 33, or, a wicking bat 3'! may depend through the apertures 36 in the resilient plate 33 as best shown in Fig. 10. The wicking bat 3'! is preferably frictionally retained in the desired relationship to the resilient plate 33 by virtue of' its size in respect to the size of the said apertures 36.

The wicking bat 3'! is preferably constructed with alternate long and short strips of wicking 38 and 39 respectively which permits the lower end of the said bat 31 to flex readily and thereby cause little if any interference with the deflection of the resilient plate 33 when pressure is applied thereon.

After being inserted in a journal box [1, the embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figs. 7, 8 and 10 functions similarly to the hereinbefore described operation of the embodiment of the invention as shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive and Fig. 9.

Although the use of Wicking bats 28 and 31 in combination with resilient plates 24 and 33 respectively is not necessary to the functioning of either of the embodiments disclosed herein, the use of the said wicking bats is desirable and preferable inasmuch as the effectiveness of the car axle lubricating plate assemblies is increased thereby.

Although but two specific embodiments of this invention have been disclosed and described herein, it will be understood that various changes including the size, shape, arrangement and details of the various parts thereof may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention other than by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a car axle and a journal box having lubricant saturated packing therein for lubricating said car axle, a resilient plate below said packing, and spring means spaced longitudinally and transversely with respect to the said car axle secured to said plate capable of flexing in accordance with the yielding of the said packing adapted to urge said plate upward and maintain said packing in uniform contact with said car axle.

2. In combination with a car axle and a journal box having packing therein, a resilient plate below said packing, a multiplicity of springs secured to the bottom of the said resilient plate on longitudinal and transverse axes with respect to the said car axle adapted to urge said packing with uniform pressure against said car axle and form a reservoir for free lubricant in the bottom of said journal box, the said resilient plate having a plurality of apertures therethrough, and wicking bats formed of alternate long and short pieces of wicking secured to said plate through said apertures and depending into said reservoir.

3. In combination with a car axle and a journal box having packing therein, a thin resilient plate assembly having a multiplicity of springs substantially uniformly spaced, both laterally and longitudinally with respect to the car axle, on the bottom thereof positioned below said packing for urging said packing against said car axle, the said thin resilient plate being of sufficient resiliency to accommodate itself to various wavy configurations and thereby compensate for voids in said packing and the uneven settlement thereof.

4. In combination with a car axle and a journal box having packing therein, a resilient plate capable of flexing in accordance with the yieldability of said packing positioned in said journal box below. said packing, and a multiplicity of springs spaced longitudinally and transversely with respect to the car axle on the bottom of the said plate adapted to urge said packing uniformly against said car axle.

5. In combination with a car axle and a journal box having packing therein, a resilient plate capable of flexing in accordance with the yieldability of the said packing positioned in said journal box below said packing, and a multiplicity of springs spaced longitudinally and transversely with respect to the car axle on the bottom of the said plate adapted to urge said plate upward and said packing against said car axle, the said resilient plate having apertures therein through which portions of said packing depend into a reservoir of free lubricant in the bottom of the said journal box, whereby the said free lubricant is conveyed to the said packing in contact with said car axle by capillary attraction.

6. In combination with a car axle and a journal box having packing therein, means for uniiormly urging said packing against said car axle comprising a resilient plate and a multiplicity of springs secured in substantially longitudinal and transverse uniform spaced relationship with respect to the car axle on the bottom of the said resilient plate, the said resilient plate being sufliciently flexible to accommodate itself to various wavy configurations when urging said packing against said car axle and thereby compensate for voids in the said packing and any uneven settlement thereof.

HARRY H. GRECE. 

